Day 3- Big smiles!!!!

I just want to say how much we love this little girl! I'm sorry if I freaked anybody out a couple of days ago. I still can't get over the overwhelming feelings of that day. I had heard of parents who cannot bond right away with their adopted child. I always said that would NEVER be me. And lo and behold, it was me. The combination of no sleep, no food, adrenaline rush, culture shock, the sudden news that she might not be our child after all, smelling the urine as we walked down the halls, hearing all the little orphans crying to be picked up.....and then on top of everything else, realizing the child they were putting in our arms was not the same child we dreamed of for the last 7 months, one week and four days....It was all just too much to process all at once, and I just shut down. I have never experienced anything quite like that before, but then again there are alot of firsts in international adoption. Thankfully it was love at first sight for John, and soon afterwards for me as well. Sometimes I get mad at myself for being too transparent, yet then I realize sometimes our transparency can be helpful to someone else, and in our case this week, it was transparency that triggered so many prayers and support from home, and I am eternally grateful for that. I hope I didn't frighten any soon-to-be adoptive parents. All is well. No worries.
Three days with her and we have already noticed big changes, and have had some special bonding times. Day 3 John put her in the ball pit. I am quite sure she has never been in the ball pit before, that would be a privilege only for "higher functioning" orphans. At first she just sat there, and then her little hands started moving around, feeling the plastic balls, she can't quite pick things up yet but I could see that she wanted to. She was feeling around the balls and then she discovered something she liked better: her daddy's hairy arm. She softly stroked up and down his arm. We already see the 'love gene' in her that is so common in people with Down Syndrome.

She continues to lick John's whiskers, which we both find hilarious, although I'm not sure people back home will find it so entertaining. We'll worry about manners training later, and for now let her lick us as it seems this is her way of getting to know us. We keep thinking he needs to shave, but she seems to like his beard so much, he has just left it for her. While in the ball pit, John tossed a couple of balls up, and she broke out into a spontaneous laugh. This is the first laugh we've gotten out of her without being tickled. She laughed because it was funny!!! (check out John's blog for a video). I'm telling you, she is already coming alive! We are so excited to get her home and around her big brothers and sisters. I know she will find all sorts of interesting entertainment there. She will be so loved. I think I'll trust the older three to carry her, but I keep imagining Hope trying to drag her around and dress her up in her baby doll clothes! That's another one I'll worry about later I guess! :)

Hi Simeon, Liesel, Jude and Hope... Will you play with me?